Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Journaling Idea #3 - It's all about your day

This week's journal tip comes from Journalbuddies.com.

This site has a lot of innovate journal ideas for children. Which has inspired me to post not only adult journal ideas, but to add a weekly KIDS IDEA post to the blog too.  I've also added their link to the side bar of this blog if  you'd like to jump over and check it out. :)

Thank you journalbuddies.com for today's inspiration.

Everyday can be an ordinary day, a creative day, or a special day in our lives.  But today's journal idea challenges you to rethink your day and compose it in 20 words or less.

Yep, think about your day and in twenty words or less describe your day in your journal this week.

Get creative! Instead of saying my day was was "Fine" look up and learn new words through a thesaurus. That "fine" day just might turn out to be a "beautiful", "outstanding", "rare", "not to shabby" day.  When we are able to use specific words to describe how we are feeling, events, and situations, it helps us and others (if we choose to share) relate better to our world. (It's an old writer's technique to keep readers involved into a story.)

This journal idea and challenge is also recommended and can be a lot of fun with a child.  Who knows you and your child may want to exchange journals and see how your day compares to theirs!

Have fun!

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Wedding Guest Book Flip Album



Today I had the special privilege of custom designing a guest book for the son of our previous pastor.
Their colors are yellow and green.  Making this guest book was a beautiful challenge for me as is any custom ordered guest book I put together.

This unique flip album guestbook will hold cherished memories for generations to come.

I started out searching my local fabric and paper suppliers for just the right materials to match the bride's color theme.  I couldn't resist this floral yellow fabric.  I used a chocolate shimmer fabric for the binding and stitched it together with yellow ribbon using a tortoise shell pattern.

For the end I used a two toned yellow half inch ribbon.

What's really unique about my guest books are they work two ways.  This guest book flip album opens as a autograph book on one side allowing your guest to write short little notes of memories past or marriage advice to the couple.  Then half way through this guest book the paper changes to card stock and is designed so the couple can place photos and use the second half as a photo album.

Since this guest book is made in the traditional Japanese stab stitch technique this book can be flipped one way for a guest book and flipped over with the binding on the right side ( as in the Japanese style) and used as a photo album.

Now this couple open this guest book on anniversaries or lay out on a coffee table to share with guests into their home!  All pages inside this book are acid-free so they're memories will last a life time!




Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Baby Album


Last week was filled with baby showers around our household.  My son's preschool class decided to have a baby shower for one of the teacher's aids who has been teaching them sign language all year.

Although, Ms. Allison doesn't know what she is having (a boy or girl) in a few weeks, my son insists it is going to be a boy! He wanted to make Ms. Allison something special... so with a little help, he made her a twinkle twinkle litte star baby album.  

After he went through my fabric stash and found this cute twinkle, twinkle little star fabric we set out to make  the baby album covers. Then a day before the shower, with the covers and pages still needing put together, my scaitic nerve in my back decided to protest, leaving me quite frankly - laying on my back.

Yet, my son and I managed to complete the book, and while I rested he made his own wrapping paper from some brown postal paper I keep to wrap books for shipping.  Since tape might tear his beautiful artwork, he found some ribbon in my box and we tied it around his gift.

The photos are taken by my son, so they are not as "picture perfect" as they could be, but I think they are great, taken from a five year old.



My son was so excited to give his gift to Ms. Allison.  It was a surprise, just like her party! 

This morning when I took him into class, the ballons and streamers were still decorating the room. Sadly to say, I had to miss the party to rest my body and help my back to heal, but it was fun hearing all the details from my son as he experienced his first baby shower.

A few days later, we attended another baby shower and as we left his cousin the same age kept saying, "But I didn't see the baby."

Lol.. my son was nice enough to explain - in five year old terminolgy- that the baby was still the mommy's tummy.

Ah... I love creating things with my kids and hearing when they've caught on to something I've taught them. I'm sure in the future my son and I will be working on a lot more projects together.  He's already asking if he can help with a guest book I'm making for a friend. I'll be sure to post the photos soon.



Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Memoirs of Mom

This morning I got up and looked at my calendar, not only was it still on April, but when I flipped it - Mothers' day is only a few days away!!

Wow where has the time gone!  No wonder my mom has been calling me these last few days.lol... I haven't even started thinking about a gift yet (shh... don't tell my mom). :)

As I was sitting here thinking about my mom this morning it reminded me of the things that stood out most about her as I was growing up.  Things like how she always kept her kitchen neat and tidy, and still does. How we used to live in an old farm house while I was growing up.  My mom used to help milk the cows and send us off to school at the same time.

So I sat here making a list of all those things, that I remembered most about my mother. Then I composed them into a short little poem.

I'm thinking that poem would be perfect for the front pages of a blank journal, where my mom could open it up and read it, know how much I appreciate the things she's done for me over the years, and give her space to reflect, expand, and write the things that stand out most about raising me and my brothers and sisters that would create a memoir from our mother.

Today, that is my mission.  To compose this poem in its entirity, and craft a journal that is just for my mom.

I may have to throw a few pictures of the grandkids in there for good measure. :)  But I'm excited that mothers'day is soon here.

I'm looking forward to seeing why my own munchkins have in store for me in the days to come. 

What about you? What memories do you hold most dear of the things your mom has done for you?

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